At the Tokyo Motor Show Mazda wowed the crowd with their first major sign of life in years, the RX-VISION sports car concept. It’s a symbol they said of their “never-stop-challenging” spirit.
The hard top sports car the company says represents a vision of the future that they hope to one day make a reality.
The solid recipe of a long nosed front-engine, rear-wheel drive top-end sports car is one we all love but one Mazda hasn’t had in a showroom for some time.
The Mazda RX-VISION is quite a bit larger than the MX-5 Miata, sporting a wider stance and a much more expensive presence.
The application of the brand’s KODO design language is melded with a silhouette similar to the Mercedes-AMG GT or even the Jaguar F-Type.
It looks mean and even Corvette like in its attitude, with headlights that mimic half closed or squinting eyes.
And even though the face is distinctly Mazda in flavor it rings a little bit of contemporary Maserati.
So far so good on the intimidating curb appeal. What’s scary though is what’s under the hood. Mazda says the RX-VISION is motivated by what they call the next-generation SKYACTIV-R rotary engine.
A rotary? This is where I scratch my head. Hasn’t Mazda learned from history? This is an engine which has killed off every car it’s ever been in. The last RX-8, the last and extremely awesome RX-7 and all those that came before them.
It’s a velvety smooth and rocket-sled powerful engine design which most agree is hella-fun to drive….until it decides its time to come apart and spew oil out the exhaust pipe. Which historically is often and well before 100,000 miles.
There is a reason every new iteration of this engine is called “next-generation”. It’s because everyone who’s owned one knows it’s a time-bomb waiting to cost them money and heart ache, let alone the need to carry a case of oil around in your trunk.
Sorry to beat on the thing. But Mazda just has some kind of hard on for this engine, like a foolish lover that can’t ever see the truth that the apple of their eye is a complete disaster. Hopefully if the Mazda RX-VISION ever becomes reality, they can find some other power source to make it come alive.
Otherwise, this beautiful thing is likely to be yet another great Mazda sports car people only remember from photos and legend, because there aren’t any over ten years old remaining operative on the road. Please Mazda, sober up and do this one right.
